REACH program continues success
REACH officials have announced that for the third consecutive year the business community is supporting systemic change to education in Fayette County schools through donations and volunteer efforts. The most recent contributors are Neubauers’ Flowers ($3,000), Ohiopyle Prints ($2,000) and Sony Technology Center, Pittsburgh, ($1,000). The donations from Neubauers’ Flowers and Ohiopyle Prints funded the final year of a two-year pledge under the Educational Improvement Tax Credit incentive program (EITC) offered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
“The EITC program offers businesses the opportunity to put their tax dollars to work in Fayette County by electing to direct them to specific educational enhancement efforts that are part of REACH’s strategic plan,” said Steve Neubauer, president and general manager of Neubauers’ Flowers. “All it takes is the completion of a one-page form.”
In addition to these local companies, the PNC subsidiary, Hilliard Lions and Laurel Business Institute have helped the education partnership’s effort by electing to direct their tax dollars to REACH initiatives through EITC.
REACH (Reaching Educational Achievement with Community Help) is the Fayette County education/business partnership directed by local businesses in collaboration with the six school districts in the county to help narrow the gap between the knowledge and skills attained by graduates and those needed in today’s high-tech workplace. In each of the past two years, REACH has received nearly $70,000 from 19 local companies and individuals.
“I applaud these businesses for demonstrating their commitment to improving the education of the students who will be the future work force in Fayette County,” said Leo Krantz, chairman of Fay-Penn Economic Development Council and business co-chairman for REACH. “REACH educational enhancement initiatives give students real-world, hands-on experience in preparation for entry into the work force or post-secondary education upon graduation,” Krantz added.
Other contributors to REACH are Robert E. and Eloise Eberly, Joseph A. Hardy III and Hardy Family Trust, Stahl’s Hotronix, Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Berkley Medical Resources, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, the Herald-Standard, International Liner, Nemacolin Woodlands, United Defense, Verizon, Gerome Manufacturing, Jackson Farms, Laurel Caverns Geological Park, McMillen Engineering and the Westmoreland/Fayette Workforce Investment Board.
These contributions support curriculum enhancement in Fayette County schools, such as the Manufacturing Pathways Initiative, Keys to Work, professional development for educators, curriculum alignment and redesign, according to state standards, public awareness programs and professional services from the International Center for Leadership in Education administered by REACH.
All contributions to REACH are tax deductible under Fay-Penn’s 501C-3 designation. To learn about REACH and the EITC, call Barb Gibel, education/work force development manager, at 724-437-7913.